Arts

Dance

Maria Clara Suite

During the Spanish period, Western
European ways of life spread
throughout the Islands. Along with
them came European dances such as
the waltz, fandango, mazurka, polka,
and the jota.
The Filipinos welcomed these dances
and, by adding native flare and style,
made them their own. Named in the
honor of the heroine in Dr. Jose Rizal's
novel, Noli me Tangere, the Maria Clara
Suite captures the elegance and charm of
the mestiza Filipina as well as the
gallantry and boldness of the mestizo
Filipino.
Courtship, love, and flirtation are all
evident in this suite of romantic
dances.
Dances